Switch mechanism



Nov. 20, 1928.

G. H. WHITTINGHAM SWITCH MECHANI SM Filed April 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet l f/ f C:

ff v H101 nu,

Nov. 20, 1928.

G; H. WHITTINGHAM SWITCH MECHANISM Filed April'ze, 1924 s'sneezs-'sneet 2 gmx/nica,

Suor neng 'JOI/946,123

Nov. 2o, 192s. 1,692,604

G. H. WHITTINGHAM SWITCH MECHANISM Filed Aprilv 26, 1924 3 sheets-sheet 4`z Patented. Nov. 20, 192s- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE II. WHITTINQHAM, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AssIGNOR To MONITOR cON 'TROLLER COMPANY, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A- CORPORATION or MARYLAND.

swITII MEOHANISM.

Application led April 26, l1924. Serial No. 709,163.

a sheet metal support extendingfrom one end of the magnet core outwardly along the side of the magnet to a'point beyond the other end v ofthe core, the support constituting a. part of the magnetic circuit. This su port is pro.- vided with a transverse notch a apted to re; ceive a sheet metal armature having slots in 'its edges which lit closely about the ends of the notch. The armature fulcrums upon the bottom ofthe notch for the full length of the latter, and is held against lateral movement by the walls of the slot which form shoulders at opposite sides of the support. For holding' the armature in the notch, I provide a locking-piece, which may be readily attaohedpto or removed from the support, .and this locking-piece closes the notch adjacent the armature and prevents displacement of vthe latter. `The locking-piece is also extended longitudinally of the armature from the supportand forms an abutment fora spring which bears upon the armature to rock the switch to open position. In one form of the invention, the locking-piece also' forms a stop for limiting the'opening vmovement of the switch.

In the accompanying drawing,

Fi 1 is a front elevation of a simple form of switch embodying my improvements;

Fig.,2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig.' 3 is a front elevation of the armature land switch arm, the support for, the armature being shown in section on the line 3-3o Figli; Y a

` g. 4 is an end elevation of the Outer part of the support, the armature and lockingpiece being shown in section; g

Fig. 5 is a perspective viewof the lockingpieceshown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is afront elevation of a switch `in which the armature is extended in both directions from the support, and in which the locking piece for the armature differs from that shown in the previous Iigures;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the outer part of the support shown in Figs. 6 and 7 ,the

armature being shown in section; -Fig. 10 1s a perspective view of the lockingpiece and spring illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 Fig.- 11 is a detail view on an enlarged scale,

of the locking-piece and spring and part of the armature shown in Figs. 6 and -7 Flg. 12 is a -front elevation of a switch having the armature extended on both sides of the support; and provided with two switch arms; I

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section; Y

Fig. 14 is an end view of the outer part of the support shown in Figs. 12and 13, the

armature being shown in section; and,

Fig. 15 is a front elevation of a part of the arma-ture illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, the support being shown in section on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, of the drawing, a represents an electro-magnet secured to a switchboard b, and c represents a stationary switch terminal also secured toA said board. A sheet meta-l supportd is secured to one end of the magnet core and extends outwardly parallel with the magnet to a point beyond the opposite end of this. core.l This support has a part punched out to form an openlng extending transversely of the support, this opening having a relatively wide part 1 and a narrower part 2, which latter constitutes a notchfor receiving the armature e of the switch. The main part of the armature is approximately the same width as the support, but one end 3 of the armature is of slightly less width than the slot 1 and of greater width than the notch 2, and it is provid'ed with Opposinor slots4, between the end 3 land the body o? the armature. The armature is assembled. upon the su port by inserting the narrower end 3 throug the slot 1 and then dropping it down into the notch 2. The edges of the notch will then fit into the slots 4 and the side walls 5 of the slots 4 constitute shoulders which will interlock with the ends of the notch and prevent lateral movement of the armature. The slots 4 are of such width that the armature rest- 5 ing upon the bottom wall 6 of theslot may rock thereon as far ,as is necessary to permit the switch to open and close.

The armature is held in place within the notch 2 by avmetal locking piece f, having a i part 7 adapted to be secured tothe outer part of the support by a screw 8 and having a part 9 bent at an acute angle to the part 7, this part 9 being adapted to extend through the slot 1, overfthe armature and to prevent the f armature from leaving the notch 2. The part 9 is forked, as shown. A stud 10, riveted toA the armature, projects outwardly parallel with the support d and has at its outer end a cup-shaped stop 11, adapted'to receive one end of a helical spring 12. A cup-shaped member 13 fits over the opposite end of the vspring and is adapted to bear against the forked end 9 of the locking piece f, as shown in the drawing. With this arrangement, the spring normally tends to hold the switch` arin 14 away from the stationary contact c, as

. shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

In assemblin the parts, the armature is mounted upon t e support as described with its slotted portion in the notch 2. The lock`Y ing piece is then placed in position and in doing so, the forked arm 9 is passed under the cup 13. The'locking piece is then secured f by the screw 8, and as the forked arm 9 extends at an acute angle to the support, the spring will be compressed between the cu 11 and the locking-piece when theswitch is closed. When the magnet is de-energized, the spring will move the switch arm to open position and the part 9 of the locking-piece will then serve as a stop to limit the outward movement oi the switch arm.

In Figs. and 7, the armature e is centrally mounted upon a support al, which is the same as the support in Fig. 1, but in Fig. 7 two magnets e and a are shown, and the latter magnet has a sheet metal connection dextending from one endof its core to the supportd so that the magnetic circuits are completed through the support and the armature to the cores of both magnets. The armature has a narrow portion 3a. adapted to pass through the wider part 1 of the opening in the support d, and it has the opposing slots 4 which permity the armatureftoA drop into the notch 2. The locking-piece in these views diiers from the locking-piece in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. As shown in Figs. 7 and 10, the @0 locking-piece f comprises a sheet metal part -having a right an led bend, the part 15 of the locking-piece eing adapted` to be secured by a screw s to the support and to extend across the slot 1 and close to the arma# ture, so as to prevent thedisplacement f ,the

latter. The part 16 of the locking-piece extends longitudinally of the armature, from the support, and on this part of the locking piece is secured a pin 17, which projects toward the armature and into an opening 18 in the latter. The pin has a head on its outer end for retainingA a. cup-shaped disk 1 9, and a springF 20 is interposed between this disk and a' similar disk 21 on the pin, adjacent the part 16 of the locking-piece. The o en.

ing 18 in the armature is large enou to permit the 'hea-d of the pin to pass reely l through it.

When the parts are assembled, as shown in Fig. 7, the spring will press the end 3 of the armature toward the magnet a', and this latter will hold the switch in open position. When the magnet a is energized the switch will be caused to rock, against the action of the sprin ,to'closed position, provided the mavnet c is de-ener ized, or is weakened so that 1t.

is overpowered y the magnet a.. When the magnet a is de-energized, the spring will re turn 7the armature to the position shown 1n Fi 3lllhen it is desired to have the armature carry two switch arms, one on each end, the armature cannot be passed through a slot of the form shown in Figs. 4 and 9. For a.

double switch of this kind, I provide a deep notch 2fL in the support d2, as shown in Fig. 14, this notch being conveniently cut inwardly from the outer end of the support. The armature e2 has opposing slots 4 at its center and these fit down over the parts 19, which forni the end walls of the notch. r1`hus, an armature having switch members 14 and 14' at its opposite ends may be centrally fulcrumed upon the support d2 by dropping it into a notch 23,'and it ma then be secured against displacement by a rocking-piece f2, which is similar to the locking-piece shown in Fig. 10, although of greater width, in order that it may be secured to the parts 19 by screws 20, passing through the locking-piece and into openings 21 in the support. With the 'arrangement shown, the spring will constantly tend to hold one switch closed and the other switch open.

Itis to be noted that in each of the switch mechanisms shown, the armature has a wide rocking bearing upon the bottom wall or edge oi' the notch. This makes a Avery desirable pivotal bcarino', which is more durable than the ordinary :linge pin connection used for armatures. It will also be evident that the armature Support and locking-piece may be made of stamped metal and that the several arts may be made up as units and assemble with a minimum amount of labor.

y.What I claim is:

1. An electro-magnetic switch comprising a magnet, a sheet metal support forming part of the magnetic circuit ofthe magnet and having a transverse notch, an armature memand interlocking with the end walls of thenotch, a locking member detachably secured to said support and having a part extending close to the armature and retaining the latter in the notch and a part extending longitudinally of the armature from the support, and

a s ring inter osed between said atter part an' a part on t e armature.

2. `An electro-magnetic switch comprising a magnet, a sheet metal su ort forming part of the magnetic circuit amFEaving an opening comprising a relatively wide transversely extending slot and a notch of shorter length than the slot, a sheet metal armature havin a part wider than the len h of the notch an adapted to c pass throug the slot, said armature having slots in its oplposite sides adapted to permit it to pass into t e notch, a' locking piece secured to the support and extending through the slot in the support, to revent displacement ofthe armature, and aving a; part extending longitudinally of the armature, and Y -forming a stop to limit the movement of the latter. l

3. An electro-magnetic switch comprising a magnet, a sheet metal support forming part of the magnetic circuit of the magnet and having a transverse notch, an armature fulcrumed on the bottom wall of the notch and interlocking with the end walls of the notch, a locking member secured to said support and extending close to the armature to retain the latter in the notch, said locking member hav ing a forked part extending longitudinally of the armature and at an acute angle to the sup port, a pin secured to the armature and extending through the fork in the locking piece,

and a spring interposed between the outer end of said pin and the lookin In testimony whereof signature.

GEORGE H. WHITTINGHAM.

Eiece.

ereunto aix my 

